Improvement in organ-bellows



J. J. MQLAUGHLIN. Organ-Bellows.

No. 216,965. Patented July 1, 1879.

(R I M War/J NPEYERS, FNOTOVLITHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON, D Cv UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. MCLAUGHLIN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE NEXV ENGLAND ORG-AN COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT lN Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. lrebruary To all 2071 cm it may concern:

Beit known that I, JAMns J. MQLAUGHLIN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in ExhaustBellows of Reed-Organs and Melodeons, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of an organbellows having my improved treadle mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line :r of Fig. 2 5 Fig. l, detail.

The ordinary method 011' operating the exhaust-bellows ofreed-organshas been by means of bands or cords led over pulleys and attached to the pedals or foot-boards. This mechanism is, however, objectionable, as the bands or cords soon wear and break, while they also stretch after being in use a short time, which allows the pedals to drop below their proper position, thereby diminishing the amount of their downward movement 5 and, furthermore, the bands are liable to stretch unequally, causing one pedal. to lie below the other.

To remedy these difficulties is the object of my invention, which consists in operating the bellows of a recdorgan or melodeon by means of a c ank mechanism of peculiar construction connected with and actuated by the pedal, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the said drawings, A represents a portion of the casing of a reed-organ, within which is secured the main bellows B, which is operated by two exhaust-bellows, C C.

D D are independent horizontal rock'shafts, which are supported in front of the bellows in suitable noiseless bearings in hangers 7), projecting down from the under side of the top of the casing.

In front of the movable exhaustboard (Z of each bellows C, which is hinged at its lower edge, the shaft D, opposite thereto, is provided with two cranks, c f, arranged at right angles to each other, the former, 0, being connected by means of a link, g, with the exhaustboard at or near its upper edge, and the lat ORGAN-BELLOWS.

216,965, dated July 1, 1879; application filed 27, 1879.

ter,f, having attached to it the upper extremity of a connecting-rod, G, the lower end of which is curved and extends under the pedal or 'l'oot-board ll, to which it is pivoted at 71., and thus when the pedal is depressed the exhaust-board (I, through the connections described, is moved against the resistance of its spring '5, by which it is returned to its original position when the pressure on the pedal is relieved.

The pedals H H are intended to be operated alternately, but may be depressed simultaneously, if desired.

The cranks 0], which are at right angles to each other, are so placed with respect to the connecting-link g and rod G as to be both at the most effective points for producing the greatest movement of the exhaustboard d with a given depression of the pedal.

If desired, a single crank-shaft of suflicient length to extend in front of both bellows C C may be employed instead of the two independent shafts D D, in which case a single pedal could be arranged to operate both bellows.

The above-described n'iechanism is of exceedingly simple construction, noiseless, strong, durable, and eiiective, and is not liable to get out of order, while the pedals are always held thereby evenly and in the proper position to allow of the exhaust-boards being moved to their full extent when desired.

Furthermore, it is evident that the relative sizes of the cranks c f may be such that an increased opening of the exhaust bellows (limited only by the interior depth of the on gan-case) can be obtained without any corresponding increase in the movement of the footboard or pedalan advantage which cannot be secured by any of the methods of operating the exhaust-bellows now in use.

I do not claim, broadly, the employment of a rocker-shaft and cranks for operating the bellows of a musical instrument, as I am aware that such a device is shown in the Patent of M. 3. Matthews, No. 211,635, of January 28, 1879; but in the instrument described in this patent of Matthews no pedal is employed, the bellows being operated by turning a crank with the hand.

What I claim as my invention, and. desire to together, substantially in the manner and for secure by Letters Patent, isthe purpose set forth.

The combination, with the pedal H and the Witness my hand this 19th day of February, exhaust-bellows of a reed-organ or melodeon, A. D. 1879. .7

of the rock-shaft D provided with cranks e f connected, the former by means of a link, g: JAMES MCLAUGHLIN' with the movable exhaust-board d, having a In presence of spring, t, and the latter by a rod, G, with the P. E. TESOHEMAOHER, pedal, all constructed and adapted to operate W. J. CAMBRIDGE. 

